The HEDIS Data on Breast Cancer Screening
Breast and skin cancer are the most prevalent cancer diseases among women from all races in the U.S. Screening for breast cancer is an effective preventive mechanism for improving patient outcomes. However, mammography screening is influenced by several factors including economic, social, and personal factors. The economic factor is closely connected to the lack of health care insurance, which is associated with lower cancer screening among low-income populations (American Cancer Society, 2017). Therefore, new approaches are needed to address the disparity in cancer screening for women and improve their overall health and well-being.
The HEDIS 2016 data indicate a high rate of breast cancer screening women aged between 50 and 74 years across women covered by different types of medical insurance groups. Except for Medicaid HMOs with a rate of 58.3%, the screening for breast cancer is rated over 70% for commercial HMOs, commercial PPOs, Medicare HMOs, and Medicare PPOs clients (CDC, 2018). Three-quarters of insured women receiving breast cancer screening imply improved wellness of the women population. The reason is that screening facilitates early detection and treatment of patients hence reducing the mortality rate from the disease. Breast cancer is curable if it is detected and treated in the early stages. There is a need to improve screening for cancer among the Medicaid HMOs women by addressing hurdles that prevent women in this plan from taking cancer screening. It is also important to adopt new approaches for improving screening among people without medical insurance (American Cancer Society, 2017). Overall, breast cancer screening for women is fundamental in improving the general wellbeing of women populations through improved life expectancy and reducing mortality rates from breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Screening and the Cost of Care
Breast cancer screening helps to detect the disease at an early stage and take an appropriate intervention in time before the patient’s condition is worsening. Typically, it is cheaper to treat breast cancer in their early stages than in the later stages. The cost of breast cancer treatment increases by stage at diagnosis with advanced stages of four and five attracting high treatment costs. Blumen, Fitch, and Polkus (2016) study have shown that treatment cost for stage one and two breast cancer is $109,108 compared to 180,001-206,207 for treating stage three and four breast cancer in the U.S. In Canada, the treatment cost for stage one and two breast cancer is estimated at $25000 and 40,000 respectively while the cost estimate for treating stage three and four cost breast cancers is $56,000 and 57,000 respectively (Mittmann et al, 2014). These statistics indicate that early diagnosis for breast cancer through screening of women aged over 50 years reduces the cost of treatment. Even the screening rates are significantly high at over 70% among women covered by medical insurance, screening all elderly women remains the most relevant approach for early diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Conclusion
The HEDIS data reveal a high rate of breast cancer screening among women aged 50-74 covered by medical insurance. These statistics imply that breast cancer screening for women is critical in improving the wellbeing of women populations through improved life expectancy and reducing mortality rates from breast cancer. It is further noted that early diagnosis for breast cancer through screening of women reduces the cost of treatment. However, screening all elderly American women is relevant for early diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2018). Breast Cancer Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/statistics/index.htm
American Cancer Society. (2017). American Cancer Society Recommendations for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/screening-tests-and-early-detection/american-cancer-society-recommendations-for-the-early-detection-of-breast-cancer.html
Blumen, H., Fitch, K., & Polkus, V. (2016). Comparison of treatment costs for breast cancer, by tumor stage and type of service. American health & drug benefits, 9(1), 23.
Mittmann, N., Porter, J. M., Rangrej, J., Seung, S. J., Liu, N., Saskin, R., … & Evans, W. K. (2014). Health system costs for stage-specific breast cancer: a population-based approach. Current Oncology, 21(6), 281.